The Portland daily press., 1887-03-07
'toh Cazette Office DAM
aged by Fire.
ARoosTooK's CHARMS.
Rich SOIL and Plenty of Pretty French
Girls.
Maine Agriculturists Say II Is the
Place for Young Men.

l. Boston, March 5.-There was big gath
ering of farmers and agricultural enthusiasts
at the Ploughman building this morning, to
hear Maine Agriculturists discuss the merits
| of AroostoOk County.
The attendance of representative Maine
men was large, among the number being
Governor Bodwell, Hon. William Dickey, of
Fort Kent Maine, Hon. Fred Atwood and
several members of the State Legislature and
Board of Agriculture.
Hon. Daniel Needham called the meeti ne
to order and said that Aroostook had been
brought down to Boston for day and that
the speakers present would show to Boston,
to New England. to America and to the
world what there Is down in that county
that is worthy the attention of the young
men of New England.
Hon. Fred Atwood, of Winterport, Maine,
was called to the chair and introduced Y. A.
Gilbert of the Maine State Board of Agri-
culture. Mr.. Gilbert said: Aroostook has
peculiar and characteristic soil, lying upon
a vertical bedrock. 1t is given a natural
drainage through the st. John, making it
particularly well adapted to cultivation. 1t
Is essentially soil inviting to the culture of
the husbandman, and the fact that it is of
low. money value makes it especially inviting
to the young man just starting out in life.
Governor Bodwell, of Maine, was the next
speaker. He said it was pleasure to meet
so many residents of his native State, of
which he felt most proud About thirty-fve
years ago, he said. / left Massachusetts and
went to Maine with party of men from my
native town of Methuen. The success of
that small band has been, think, as remark
able as many who followed the advice of
Horace Greeley and went West. He spoke
of the opportunities the State of Maine Of
fered to intelligent young men, and thought
these were greater even than those offered
in tn western country.
Professor Fernald of the State Agricultur-
al College of Massachusetts said: The soil
of this country is remarkable for its fertility.
There is great region to be developed The
season is certainly very short, but once un-
der way the crops mature with remarkable
rapidity. Aroostook County has never been
fully or properly advertised, and this is why
she remains undeyeloped and unexplored.
Hon. Harrison Hume, of Boston, former
ly Of Eastport, said the question OF vital inn
portance to-day is, How shall we retain our
young men upon the farms. This is of more
Importance than the discussion of the merits
of Aroostook. 1t will pay the State of
Maine, he said, to give every agricultural So
ciety in Maine $1,000, to be offered to the
boys of Aroostook and Washington to stimu-
late and encourage them to stay upon the
farms.
Hon. William NJ. Dickey, of Fort Kent,
Me-, said there was no county in Maine more
inviting for settlement than the valley of St
John in Aroostook. A more charming or
beautiful country you cannot find. The eli
mate is healthful and it is foolish to say that
it is so much colder in Ar0ostook than here
in Boston. The winter is longer to be sure,
but with the mercury at 450 below zero there
it is no colder than it is here with the mer-
eury at zero. Aroostook county, he said, has
hardly been explored, is hardly known. l
say to the young men come down there. We
have many beautiful French Canadian girls;
they want Yankee husbands, and / am sure
they will treat you well.
Hon. Francis Barnes, of Houlton. Me-,
gave some interesting statistics concerning
the revenue Of the farmers of Aroostook
Countv